The Commissioner of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), Abu Bockarie Kokofele has said that his Commission through the World Bank funded Social Safety Net Programme will reach over Seventy thousand vulnerable households countrywide.

He made this statement during the World Bank Mission wrap-up meeting on Tuesday, 2nd April, 2019 held at the Ministry of Development and Planning Conference Hall, Tower Hill, Freetown.

The Social Safety Net Programme, Commissioner Abu Bockarie Kokofele revealed, is one of the biggest projects in his Commission, aiming at providing unconditional cash transfer to the extreme poor. The Programme, the Commissioner noted has provided unconditional cash transfer to 28,500 beneficiaries households in ten districts.

With the additional funding of Thirty Million United States Dollars from the World Bank. He confirmed that the programme will now be extended to the other unserved districts. This, he affirmed, will target about 35,000 new entry householdsnationwide; thus making for over 70,000 beneficiary households in the entire country by the end of the programme.

Commissioner Kokofele further outlined the impact of the project in the lives of the beneficiaries especially in relations to education, health, agriculture, to name a few. These, he noted have been significant.

The National Coordinator of the Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (SLANGO), Shellac Davies registered her satisfaction over the Social Safety Net Programme and that of the National Social Protection Secretariat for being able to address most of the challenges and issues of concern in the programme implementation.

Madam Shellac Davies described the Social Safety Net Programme as “a positive peace building tool that generates peace in the communities”. Noting that, the

Project outcomes are connected to peace including economic diversifications and equality as well as in the building of a healthier economic environment. These, she noted are qualities that are linked to sustainable development.

Representing the donor community, the UNICEF Chief of Social Policy, Mariam Abdul spoke of UNICEF involvement in Safety Net Programme far back in 2013 before her current assignment with UNICEF. She commended the Programme for being able to continue its service without any major alarm.